Discover Umbria

The start of this cycle tour is in Assisi, part of the Unesco World Heritage, the popular pilgrimage town built on the slopes of Monte Subasio. Its impressive ramparts, towers and palace roofs of the town are visible from afar. Assisi has a strong unbreakable bond with the saints Francis and Clare. On the day of your arrival, you might want to explore the town with its little alleys and cozy squares. Worth seeing are the famous basilica of St. Francis, The Basilica of Saint Clare, museums and the Roman temple of Minerva in Piazza del Comune. *** or **** star hotel near Assisi old town centre.
End of afternoon drop off bicycles, bike fitting and route briefing.

This morning there will be time to wander around in Spello. After continuing your journey through the valley of Spoleto, passing Foligno, your route goes up to Montefalco; also called ‘the balcony of Umbria’, because of its fantastic panorama. Artists like Benozzo Gozzoli and Perugino decorate the Franciscan church, now a museum, with magnificent frescoes. The next town you will visit is Bevagna, whose characteristic medieval square still hosts two Romanesque churches. Your overnight stay is in Torgiano, which in medieval times was a fortified village and is situated on a hilltop above the confluence of the rivers Chiascio and Tiber. Interesting to visit are the wine museum and next-door in the ‘osteria’ you can taste the excellent wines of Lungarotti or you can visit their winery (only on reservation). Overnight in *** or ***** hotel

Overnight stay with breakfast in Torgiano
Distance: 64 km / 39,8 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 552m -718m

Today you can visit the neighboring county town of Perugia: the provincial capital and a lively, vibrant place. The medieval town centre with its little alleyways is at the highest point of the town. The Renaissance palaces, churches, museums and many galleries make a lasting impression. You will spend the night once more in the peaceful, hospitable town of Torgiano.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Torgiano
Distance: 34 km / 21,1 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 503m -526m

On the fourth day, you will cycle through a slightly hilly landscape to be rewarded at the end with a magnificent view of Trasimeno Lake and its islands. You pass the little fishing village of S. Feliciano from where the boats go to the Polvese Island. Cycling along the gravel bike path, you reach Passignano, a town on the shore of the lake, made of history and nature, art and folklore, peace and vitality. Passignano has a beach close to its center or you could visit the only inhabited island ‘Isola Maggiore’. Overnight in *** or **** hotel

Overnight stay with breakfast in Passignano
Distance: 51 km / 31,7 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 472m -422m

Today’s route runs through an unspoiled scenery to the quiet little town of Umbertide, whose town centre is dominated by a majestic tower, the remains of a castle dating back to 1385. It is a hilly ride with gorgeous views. After a climb, you reach Castel Rigone, looking out over the lake. Then a nice ride follows along a ridge with nice views on both side. A well deserved descend brings you into the Tiber Valley. Your hotel is a country hotel and is just outside Umbertide. It has a restaurant and nice swimming pool!

Overnight stay with breakfast in Umbertide
Distance: 47 km / 29,2 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 837m -855m

Today you first pass Umbertide and then it goes uphill to Montone, a typical Umbria small town, where time stood still. After another small hilltop town, Pietralunga, you will reach the fortified hill town of Gubbio. Worthwhile visiting are the palaces, the Roman theatre and the monastery of S. Ubaldo, which is built at 827m altitude and can be reached by cable car. Your overnight stay will be near the historical centre in a *** or **** hotel.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Gubbio
Distance: 58 km / 36 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 904m -667m

At the beginning of this last leg of the tour you still have some hard climbing to do, through a rolling still-life landscape, but after that, you have a well-deserved easy descent to Assisi. Cycling through the centre of this little town you will pass its most important monuments, like the Basilica of St. Francis, the temple of Minerva and the basilica of St. Clare.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Assisi
Distance: 59 km / 36,7 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 807m – 908m

After breakfast end of your Discover Umbria tour

The start of this cycle tour is in Assisi, part of the Unesco World Heritage, the popular pilgrimage town built on the slopes of Monte Subasio. Its impressive ramparts, towers and palace roofs of the town are visible from afar. Assisi has a strong unbreakable bond with the saints Francis and Clare. On the day of your arrival, you might want to explore the town with its little alleys and cozy squares. Worth seeing are the famous basilica of St. Francis, The Basilica of Saint Clare, museums and the Roman temple of Minerva in Piazza del Comune. *** or **** star hotel near Assisi old town centre.
End of afternoon drop off bicycles, bike fitting and route briefing.

You leave your hotel and cycling along the slopes of Mount Subasio to Spello. There is enough time to wander around in Spello, a charming ancient town pleasantly situated on the southern slopes of Mount Subasio. In urban, architectural and artistic terms, Spello is an extremely interesting town, containing many features dating back to the Roman age. Spello is also called the town of flowers, because of its many colourful little alleys embellished with plants and flowers. The town is well known for its special Flower Festival (‘infiorata’) for Corpus Domini. After continuing your ride through the valley, passing the centre of Foligno, it goes up to Spoleto. Your *** or **** hotel is situated in the historical centre of Spoleto.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Spoleto
Distance: 52 km / 32,3 mi
Ascent / Descent: +326m -338m

Cycling through a slightly undulating landscape you will already see Montefalco from a distance… to reach this town you first have to conquer a steep climb. Montefalco is well known as the ‘balcony of Umbria’, because of its fantastic panorama over the Valle Umbra. Artists like Benozzo Gozzoli and Perugino decorate the Franciscan church, now a museum. Montefalco is well known for its excellent wines, Rosso di Montefalco d.o.c. and Sagrantino d.o.c.g , produced on the sunny hill slopes around the town, and of course it is almost impossible to leave the town without tasting them in one of the many wine bars.
From Montefalco you go downhill to Bevagna. Here, the medieval square with its two Romanesque churches is a real meeting place for the friendly inhabitants of the village. After a last hill you will reach Torgiano, at the confluence of the rivers Chiascio and Tiber (Tevere). Your hotel is in the quiet town centre. Interesting to visit is the wine museum and the ‘osteria’ of the Lungarotti family, where you can taste their excellent wines. Overnight in *** or ***** hotel in the centre of town.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Torgiano
Distance: 63 km / 39,1 mi
Ascent / Descent: +553m -721m

Today you can visit the neighboring town of Perugia: the provincial capital and a lively, vibrant place. The medieval town centre with its little alleyways is at the highest point of the town. The Renaissance palaces, churches, museums and many galleries make a lasting impression. You will spend the night once more in the peaceful, hospitable town of Torgiano.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Torgiano
Distance: 34 km / 21,1 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 503m -526m

On the fifth day, you will cycle through a slightly hilly landscape to be rewarded at the end with a magnificent view of Trasimeno lake and its islands. You pass the little fishing village of S. Feliciano from where the boats go to the Polvese Island. Cycling along the gravel bike path, you reach Passignano, a town on the shore of the lake, made of history and nature, art and folklore, peace and vitality. Passignano has a beach close to its center or you could visit the only inhabited island ‘Isola Maggiore’. Overnight in *** or **** hotel

Overnight stay with breakfast in Passignano
Distance: 51 km / 31,7 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 472m -422m

Today you can have a rest day or you can make a loop ride around the lake, passing little towns like Passignano and Castiglione del Lago. For a big part you cycle along the bike path around the lake shore. In addition, a worthwhile trip is to visit one of the islands by boat.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Passignano
Distance: 57 km / 35,4 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 369 -373m
or
After breakfast in the saddle with destination the Etruscan town of Cortona, situated in Tuscany. This lovely town is built on a hilltop and you have to climb some to reach it, but then you can enjoy a unique and amazing view of the Val di Chiana. The town is founded by the and it still retains many of its original remains from the Etruscan period. But Cortona encloses also the works of great Renaissance artists, such as Luca Signorelli and Beato Angelico, as well as Pietro di Cortona from the Baroque period
Cortona is an important cultural and artistic centre for the valley and therefore well worth exploring. Something of interest can be found here for everyone: enthusiasts of history and art, lovers of nature and adventure, food and wine experts and those interested in fashion and shopping. Interesting are the archaeological museum and the Museo Diocesano with works of Signorelli, Lorenzetti and Fra. Angelico. After your visit, you descend again in the valley and along quiet country roads, you return to Passignano.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Passignano
Distance: 54 km / 33,6 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 533 -533m

Today’s route runs through an unspoiled scenery to the quiet little town of Umbertide, whose town centre is dominated by a majestic tower, the remains of a castle dating back to 1385. It is a hilly ride with gorgeous views. After a climb, you reach Castel Rigone, looking out over the lake. Then a nice ride follows along a ridge with nice views on both side. A well deserved descend brings you into the Tiber Valley. Your hotel is a country hotel and is just outside Umbertide. It has a restaurant and a nice swimming pool!

Overnight stay with breakfast in Umbertide
Distance: 47 km / 29,2 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 837m -855m

Today you first pass Umbertide and then it goes uphill to Montone, a typical Umbria small town, where time stood still. After another small hilltop town, Pietralunga, you will reach the fortified hill town of Gubbio. Worthwhile visiting are the palaces, the Roman theatre and the monastery of S. Ubaldo, which is built at 827m altitude and can be reached by cable car. Your overnight stay will be near the historical centre in a *** or **** hotel

Overnight stay with breakfast in Gubbio
Distance: 58 km / 36 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 904m -667m

At the beginning of this last leg of the tour you still have some hard climbing to do, through a rolling still-life landscape, but after that, you have a well-deserved easy descent to Assisi. Cycling through the centre of this little town you will pass its most important monuments, like the Basilica of St. Francis, the temple of Minerva, and the Basilica of St. Clare.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Assisi
Distance: 59 km / 36,7 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 807m – 908m

After breakfast end of your Discover Umbria tour